Milk carton crusher



Oct. 8, 1957 I R. PALMER 2,808,776

MILK CARTON CRUSHER Filed April 11, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Qoecer E PAL/WEE Oct. 8, 1957 R. E. PALMER MILK CARTON CRUSHER Filed April 11, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 EEJE INVENTOR. P0 war 5. DAME/2 BY W m IMAM ATTOPA/EY Oct. 8, 1957 R. E: PALMER MILK CARTON CRUSHER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 11, 1956 J/J wua flTTOE/VEY Oct. 8, 1957 R. E. PALMER MILK CARTON CRUSHER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 11, 1956 INVENTOR. Poaeer E. ALA IE2 4 7'OEA/f Oct. 8, 1957 R. E. PALMER 2,808,776

. MILK CARTON CRUSHER Filed April 11, 1956 7 t s Sheets-Sheet 5 FILE v FIE-15 JNVENTOR.

" T7 17 4 Q0562? EDALMEE i zd/q/wmb 4 TTOQ/VE Y United States Pate'ntQ MILK CARTON CRUSHER Robert E. Palmer, Rocky River, Ohio, assignor to Dari- 'Research Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio Application April 11, 1956, Serial No. 577,563

Claims. (Cl. 100-98) This invention relates to carton crushing machines and particularly to paper milk carton crushers.

Conducive to a better understanding of the invention, it may be well to point out that many liquids are now packaged in paper cartons. This is especially true of dairy products such as whole milk and related milk drinks. ton shall bear a date after which the milk may not be sold. As a result, the unsold milk cartons are returned to the dairy. While considered unsuitable for human consumption, the contained milk has commercial value for the by-products it contains and also as hog feed.

Inasmuch as the method of sealing paper milk cartons renders them non-reusable, nevertheless they must be emptied before being disposed of by burning or the like. Heretofore it has been the practice to empty the filled cartons by slashing them individually with a knife, allowing them to drain, and then disposing of them by baling them or burning them in the dairy furnaces to reclaim some of their value as heat, the recovered milk being collected in cans and sold to commercial processors. Inasmuch as the average return of past dated cartons normally amounts to 3% of a'dairys volume, in a large dairy the mere disposal of returned cartons can become a major problem. 7

The primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a machine that will automatically and continually drain filled paper milk cartons, crush them, collect the milk in'a reservoir and deliver the crushed cartons to a suitable container for further disposition.

Another object is to provide a machine of the type stated having a hopper into which the filled cartons may be thrown without regard as to position or size, between ranges of /2 pint to /2 gallon, or more, depending upon the capacity of the machine.

A further object is to provide a crusher for filled milk Many communities require that the milk carcartons that will process 25 gallons of milk carton capacity perminute.

Still another object is to provide such a machine, that is rugged in structure, that can be. easily dis-assembled for cleaning, .and is reliable in operation.

These and other objects ofthe invention will become apparent from a reading of the following-specification and claims, together with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 7

Figure l is a side elevation of the milk carton crusher that is the subject of this invention;

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the same; Figure 3 is a front perspective view showing the machine in its dis-assembled condition; i

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken alongthe line andvin the direction of the arrows 4-4 of the Figure 1; t

Figure 5 is an enlarged side view of oneof the carton draining and piercing pins, showing it mounted on the cylinder member illustrated in section;

partly broken away and in section;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 7-7 of the Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a front view of the grating member;

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 10 is a front view of one of the grating piercing dogs;

Figure 11 is a right end view of thesame;

Figure 12 is an enlarged side view of one of the cylinder piercing pins in its unmounted condition;

' Figure 13 is a right end view of the same;

Figure 14 is a left end view of the same;

Figure 15 is a front view of the first of the grating support brackets;

Figure 16'is a left end view of the same;

Figure 17 is a front elevation of the second of the grating support brackets; and 7 Figure 18 is a right end view of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is seen in the Figure 1 the paper milk carton crusher that is the subject of this invention, broadly indicated by reference numeral 10. Filled milk cartons are deposited in hopper 31 and the emptied and crushed cartons are delivered at the discharge rack 67, the recovered milk being on tap at valve 33.

The entire machine is fabricated. from non-corrosive materials, such as stainless steel, in the form hereinafter described. 7 v

Reference numeral 24 broadly indicates a case memher which is mounted on a suitable base 21 that may be eitherfixed or portable, as illustrated. ,The case has a'r'ear wall 25, side walls 26 and 27, and a door 28 which forms a front wallwhen closed, asseen in Figures 1 and 2. A hopper 31 is mount-edon the top of the case and a discharge opening 32 is also provided at the top. :.A rotating shaft or spindle 42 is journaled at 41 in the rear wall. The spindle 42 is driven through suitable belts and pulleys byv motor 22 connected to-a speed reduction gear box 23 of the type well known by those skilled in the art. A The door 28 is mounted on a hinge 29, and, as illustrated, is made of a sheet of clear plastic so that the operationof the machine may be clearly visible at all times. I

A hearing 40 is positioned in the door 28 and acts as a forward support for the spindle 42 when the door is closed. p

Two parallel and facing brackets 36 and38 are mounted on the interior side walls 27 and 26, respectively, of the case 24, as is seen most clearly inFigures 3 and 4.

Reference numeral 43 indicates a concave grating which is mounted across the width of the case between thebrackets. The rack 43 is provided with keyways 46 and 47 which slidably interfit and mate with matching slots 37 and 39, respectively, formed in the brackets 36 and 38. i i

The grating 43 is concave in shape and, in the form illustrated, its radius of curvature is eight inches, although it is to be understoodthatother radii may be .used depending upon the size of the machine. A plurality of parallel and spaced slots 45 are cut through the grating and form a plurality of parallel and spaced ribs upper and lower chambers 34 and 35 respectively. A hollow cylinder, or drum, 53 is mounted in the upper chamber 34 on the'spindle 42, The cylinder 53 is of smaller radius than the radius of curvature of the grating 43. In the instant example, the cylinder has a radius of of the center of six "inches and is Y mounted excentric curvature of the grating.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the peripheral surface of the cylinder is spaced approximately 3% inches from the grating at its key point 46. The distance between the s l nd .ss ta s an the grat n the Pee ers g f s re s un i like lse' 'n e 47 t r d le abstween therifis only' zs inchf AS is seen we de rl in fi u e .6 an h a der 53 is supported qn a gent'ial hub ;4 by RQQQS of spiders Tli q l da 1 @PPHFQ PPJQ QWA E 42 through bore 59 ill i118 hub 48, and is locked'against rotation relativeto spindle 4; ,by snirable keying means.

Reference numeral 5 6 "indicates a plurality of spaced holes arrangedin parallel rows aroundthe peripherygf the cylinder 53} Reference pp ggrnss indicates;a.plurality of circumferential parallel grooves positignegl hetween the rows df'hples 5 6. t r A carton piercing pin 57 is mounted in each of the holes 56. Each pin 57 comprising atubular ,body having a hore 58 therethrough'and has a shouldered 'head end J62 and a threaded end 60, as seen in Figures '12, i3 and 14. The head end is cut at an angle of SO degrees: to the center bore to provide a pointed piercingsurface' 59. In addition, the face-59 is laterally ground to a convex radius of inch. Each pin 57 is held in place in the cylinder holes 56by means of nuts 61 which engage the threaded end 60, as seen in Figurefi. 7

Reference numeral 63 indicates a rake which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 65 at the carton discharge opening 32. The rake comprising a plurality of concave shaped teeth 64 which are so spaced that their lowerends will ride in the cylinder grooves '55 when in their operating position, as seen in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The rake '63 may be tilted, to an alternate position 63a, by means of handle 66, in which position the teeth 64 are raised clear of the cylinder grooves 55 when his desired to rernove the cylinder from the machine for cleaning.

Reference numeral 50 indicates a plurality of freely rotatable piercing dogs which are mounted in the grating slots 45 on a stationary shaft 49. The dogs Stlrcomprise a hub having a central "bore 52. A plurality of piercing pins 51 are spaced around the hub. The dogs. are positioned proximate the discharge end of the grating and protrude above the grating and just clear Q1 the peripheral face of the cylinder 53. T;h e dogs are positioned between the rows of piercing pins 57 of the eylinder h'fi. i

' A filter screen 68 is positioned in the lower charnber ,4 pression the underside of the cartons are slashed by the cutting points of the grating dogs '50 and any'fluid remaining in the carton is released through these additional slots. The so impaled and crushed cartons are carried along by the cylinder and are removed from the piercing pins 57 by the rake 63 whose teeth 64 ride in the cylinder grooves 55. The crushed cartons vare peeled 0E the cylinder 53 by the rake 63 and fall upon the discharge rack 67 from-twhichthey drop -into a suitable container r s t qn dbslowihe r c fl To 'dismantle .,the lrnachineifor, cleaning, the rake is tilted to position 631:, clear of the cylinder grooves 55,

. as shown in Figure 3. :The ,door 38 is opened by releasing the three clarnps 30. The cylinder 53 can then be pulled off the spindle '42 after'releasing its locking means. The grating is then pulled oh of its supporting brackets 36 and 38. By referring to Figure 3, it will be seenthat the entire interiorofthe case. 24,is now: free of all obstrnctions au lmfiy.be easilycleaned. Thezarn emem 9 th l lf elem n vof h cylindervfiand grating malgesgit impossible to reassemble the parts in rather than the correct manner.

form, it is tobe understood that the specific embodiment thereof as described and illustratedjherein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there may be other forms or modifications OfQtheIlHYQIlQiQn ,whichshould also be 35 below the grating 43, and acts to hold any scraps of paper or metal that may-he torn from the cartons as they are being crushed. The recovered milk is held in the lower chamber 35and may be removed when necessary through the spigot'3 3.

' In operation, the full cartons of milk are deposited in the :hopper '31, and fall between the grating 43 and the moving cylinder :53. The curvature of the grating 43 acts to permit-small cartons, such as the /2 pint size, to fall further toward the center until they contact the moving cylinder. The weight of the tilled cartons normally acts to move them to a point where the distance between the cylinder and grating is less than the thickness of the carton. At this point, the piercing pins57 ofthe cylinder begin to penetrate the carton wall and drag the carton along. Further movement of the carton between the cylinder and grate forces the piercing pins 57 through the'carton wall The contained milk, now under pressure, due .to the squeeze being applied to the carton, is freeto ,es cape through the bores 56 of the piercing pins 57. As the crushingpressure increases, the milk is quickly forced outofthe carton.

Inasmuch s th e s ,s ara s b een th sa s nd t sash pf th -W .3! th milk is se t ain dawn throu h the .s im sl s 45 i th 19u s amh 351m,hstt stra ns 't ou h the tQ s slcssr hed th an ste nowsmpa d th at ing pins 57. As they approach the of greatesf com construed to comerwithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: p

1. A device fore hing liquidjfilled papertcartons, comprising in combination, ,a case member having a hoppered inlet and a-crushed carton. discharge opening at the top thereof and a liquid drainat the bottom thereof, a'concave grating mounted'in the case and dividingthe same into upper andlower chambers, a hollow. cylinder of smaller radius than that .of the grating, rotatably mounted in theupper chamber, excentric thereof, with the peripheral face thereof proximate the grating, means for mfatingflle winder th qylinde havi a'fp y of hollow carton-piercing pins monntedthroughthe pep -t m was: rs an td a nt h liq fi led carton as it is crushed between the rotating cylinderand the grating, and means for removing theimpaled crushed carton from the piercing pins at, the discharge openingof v the case, the drained liquidbeing ,collected in, the lower chamber. a

2. ;A device for crushing liquid filled paper cartons, comprising in combination, a case member having a hoppered inlet and a crushed carton discharge opening at the top thereof and a-liquid drain at the bottom thereof,

' ing teeth positioned between thepiercing. pins and adapted to liftoff the impaled crushed cartons at the discharge a concavegrating monnted i nthe. case and dividing the same into u er and lower cha bers, ahollow cylinder of smaller radius than that of the grating, rotatably mounted in the upper chamber, excentric thereof, with theperipheral f fie thereof proximate the grating, means for rotatingthe cylinder, the cylinder having a plurality. of hollow carton-piercing pins mounted through the periphery thereof which pierce and drain the ,liquid filled carton asait is crushed betweenthe rotating cylinder and the grating, and a rake monnted'above the cylinder havopening of thecase, the drained liquid being collectedin hsl n lshambs 3. A device for crushing liquid filled paper cartons, s m isi in q mhin tiq tilazss gmsetb ha i ahop- P inlet and a hsdraattqn dtss arge pening amh top thereof and a liquid drain at the bottom thereof, a concave grating mounted in the case and dividing the same into upper and lower chambers, a hollow cylinder of smaller radius than that of the grating, rotatably mounted in the upper chamber, excentric thereof, with the peripheral face thereof proximate the grating, means for rotating the cylinder, the cylinder having a plurality of hollow carton-piercing pins mounted through the periphery thereof which pierce and drain the liquid filled carton as it is crushed between the rotating cylinder and the grating, the said pins being arranged in spaced parallel rows having circumferential grooves therebetween, and a concave rake moun'ted'above the cylinder, having teeth positioned in the grooves and adapted to lift the impaled crushed cartons ofl the piercing pins at the discharge opening of the case, the drained liquid being collected in the lower chamber.

4. A device for crushing liquid filled papercartons, comprising in combination, a case member having a hoppered inlet and a crushed carton discharge opening at the top thereof and a liquid drain at the bottom thereof, a concave grating mounted in the case and dividing the same into upper and lower chambers, the grating comprising a plurality of spaced parallel ribs, a hollow cylinder of smaller radius than that of the grating, rotatably mounted in the upper chamber, excentric thereof, with the peripheral face thereof proximate the grating, means for rotating the cylinder, the cylinder having a plurality of hollow carton-piercing pins mounted through the periphery thereof which pierce and drain the liquid filled carton as it is crushed between the rotating cylinder and the grating, and means for removing the impaled crushed carton from the piercing pins at the discharge opening of the case, the drained liquid being collected in the lower chamber.

5. A device for crushing liquid filled paper cartons, comprising in combination, a case member having a hoppered inlet and a crushed carton discharge opening at the top thereof and a liquid drain at the bottom thereof, a concave grating mounted in the case and dividing the same into upper and lower chambers, the grating comprising a plurality of spaced parallel ribs, a hollow cylinder of smaller radius than that of the grating rotatably mounted in the upper chamber, excentric thereof, with the peripheral face thereof proximate the grating, means for rotating the cylinder, the cylinder having a plurality of hollow carton-piercing pins mounted through the periphery thereof which pierce and drain the liquid filled carton as it is crushed between the rotating cylinder and the grating, a freely rotatable piercing dog journaled between each pair of grating ribs and adapted to pierce the grating engaging face of the moving carton, and the drained liquid being collected in the lower chamber.

6. A device for crushing liquid filled paper cartons, comprising in combination, a case member having a hoppered inlet and a crushed carton discharge opening at the top thereof and a liquid drain at the bottom thereof, a concave grating mounted in the case and dividing the same into upper and lower chambers, the grating comprising a plurality of spaced parallel ribs, a hollow cylinder of smaller radius than that of the grating, rotatably mounted in the upper chamber, eXcentric thereof, with the peripheral face thereof proximate the grating, means for rotating the cylinder, the cylinder having a plurality of hollow carton-piercing pins mounted through the periphery thereof which pierce and drain the liquid filled carton as it is crushed between the rotating cylinder and the grating, the said pins being arranged in spaced parallel rows having circumferential grooves therebetween, a freely rotatable piercing dog journaled between each pair of grating ribs and adapted to pierce the grating engaging face of the moving carton, and a concave rake mounted above the cylinder, having teeth positioned in the grooves and adapted to lift the impaled crushed cartons ofi the piercing pins at the discharge opening of the liquid being collected in the lower into upper and lower chambers, a hollow cylinder of.

smaller radius than that of the grating, journaled in the door and rear wall of -the upper chamber, excentric thereof, with the peripheral face thereof proximate the grating, means for rotating the cylinder, the cylinder having a plurality of hollow carton-piercing pins mounted through the periphery thereof which pierce and drain the liquid filled carton as it is crushed between the rotating cylinder and the grating, and means for removing the impaled crushed carton from the piercing pins at the discharge opening of the case, the drained liquid being collected in the lower chamber.

8. A device for crushing liquid filled paper cartons, comprising in combination, a case member having a hoppered inlet and a crushed carton discharge opening at the top thereof, a liquid drain at the bottom thereof, rear and side walls, and a hinged door forming the front wall thereof, the side walls having parallel and slotted brackets mounted thereon, a. concave grating removably mounted on the brackets, across the case and dividing the same into upper and lower chambers, a hollow cylinder of smaller radius than that of the grating, journaled in the door and rear wall of the upper chamber, excentric thereof, with the peripheral face thereof proximate the grating, means for rotating the cylinder, the cylinder having a plurality of hollow carton-piercing pins mounted through the periphery thereof which pierce and drain the liquid filled carton as it is crushed between the rotating cylinder and the grating, and a rake mounted above the cylinder having teeth positioned between the piercing pins and adapted to lift olf the impaled crushed cartons at the discharge opening of the case, the drained liquid being collected in the lower chamber.

9. A device for crushing liquid filled paper cartons, comprising in combination, a case member having a hoppered inlet and a crushed carton discharge opening at the top thereof, a liquid drain at the bottom thereof, rear and side walls, and a hinged door forming the front wall thereof, the side walls having parallel and slotted brackets mounted thereon, a concave grating removably mounted on the brackets, across the case and dividing the same into upper and lower chambers, a hollow cylinder of smaller radius than that of the grating, journaled in the door and rear wall of the upper chamber, excentric thereof, with the peripheral face thereof proximate the grating, means for rotating the cylinder, the cylinder having a plurality of hollow carton-piercing pins mounted through the periphery thereof which pierce and drain the liquid filled carton as it is crushed between the rotating cylinder and the grating, the said pins being arranged in spaced parallel'rows having circumferential grooves therebetween, and a concave rake mounted above the cylinder, having teeth positioned in the grooves and adapted to lift the impaled crushed cartons off the piercing pins at the discharge opening of the case, the drained liquid being collected in the lower chamber.

10. A device for crushing liquid filled paper cartons, comprising in combination, a case member having a hoppered inlet and a crushed carton discharge opening at the top thereof, a liquid drain at the bottom thereof, rear and side walls, and a hinged door forming the front wall thereof, the side walls having parallel and slotted brackets mounted thereon, a concave grating removably mounted on the brackets, across the case and dividing the same into upper and lower chambers, the said grating having a pluthe grating,journaled in-the doonand'rear-wall of the upper chamber, excentric thereof withthe peripheralfa'ce thereof-proximatethegrating, means for rotating the cylin--- der; the cylinder 1 having a plurality r of -ho11o'w-=cartonpiercing-pine mounted through theperiphery' thereof which pierce and drain thel liquid filled cartonas -it' is' crushed between the rotating -=cylinderand thegrating,-

the-said pins being arranged inspaced perallel rows 'having circumferential grooves 'therebet-ween, a freelyrotatable piercing dog-:journaled in" each grating'slot "and adapted to pierce the grating engaging face of-themoving carton, and: 'a concave rake mounted-above the cylinder; having -teeth positioned in the grpoves and -adapted -to 15 lift the impeled crushedcartons ofi-the -piercingpins at the discharge openingof the case,-the drained li'quidbeing collected -in-flie lower chamber.

740,168.v Neuert Sept. 29,4903 2,359,603.; Fry- June 6, 1944 .7

' FOREIGN "PATENTS" 1713206" Great Britain 19 21 591803 France Aug. 23, 1954 (Addition to No. 991,201) 

